Other I think I've become too old for games...

[jrs77]

Hello there fellow "bit-techs".

I've reached the age of 35 last year and I'm starting to feel less and less attracted by computer-games. And it's not that I'm not interested in games in general anymore - I'm still reading/posting in gameforums, but nothing really peaks my interest anymore.

I've started playing PC/console games in the early 80's, when I got my first C64, and since then I've played atleast two or three new games per year. Especially in the early and mid 90's, when the first FPS (DooM, Quake, UT, DN3d) and RTS (C&C, Civilisation) were developed. Good old times remembering the hours I've played these games.
Since then I've played racing-games/sims alot, as steeringwheels became more available and advanced, aswell as space-shooters due to 3d-joysticks etc. Basically I've played everything back then.

Starting around the year of 2000 I've become more and more a fan of MMORPGs, as it wasn't the time anymore for LAN-parties, and internet-gaming started to grow due to better and more affordable connections.
I've still played other games tho, and still bought a few new games every year.

Until 2010 I've not played that much anymore tho, as every new game is basically just the same old, same old. I still played MMORPGs and FPS tho, as the friends played them. I even bought GT5 and a new steering-wheel as soon as it became available, but after I finished the A and B-spec I never touched it again and my PS3 started covering dust until I was invited to the Dust514-beta.

Now, in 2013 I'm looking through forums and release-lists and I can't get myself to play anything. Even MMORPGs are not that interesting anymore, as they're all dumbed down copies of the early days. Need to say that I've played EvE Online for 7 years (2004-2011), and basically tried every other MMORPG since 2001. The only other MMORPGs I've played for longer then some three month tho were AO (1y), DAoC (2y) and WoW (6mo).

The last games I've played now were TSW and Borderlands 2, but I stopped playing them around christmas, when everyone was busy otherwise, and after the holidays were over I couldn't get myself to play them again.
The only game I've played since christmas was Tiger Woods PGA 2012 on the iPad. And that was because of boredom, while staying at my grandmothers for a weekend.

So, is it really me and my age. Am I burnt out, or is the current landscape of games just that awful?

I've bought a guitar now and learn playing it in my sparetime, but I'm not quiet there to say goodbye to games alltogether.

When the time comes that I really don't feel to play games anymore, then the first thing I'll do is to throw away my current GPU and build a way smaller rig, as I don't really need a powerful GPU for anything else I do. A small halfheight GT640 or 7750 with 2GB is more then enough to accelerate Photoshop actually, even for larger psd-files (some 2-300MB on the disk).

What about you. Do you feel to old for games yourself? Did you start other hobbies or did you even ditch your hardware for something more reasonable and small allready?

[Mr Happy]

I am now 34 and find i do play less and less, however i don't have another hobby at the moment and not sure what i would do

I would love to be able to edit videos of gaming to make montages but i don't have a clue where to start.

I do find the urge to play now and again and enjoy it when i do, so that is the only reason i would keep my rig as a full PC, you never know when you might get the urge to get back into it, maybe a new title release?

Hope the guitar lessons come along, i have one but i don't have patience

[jrs77]

Originally Posted by Mr Happy

Hope the guitar lessons come along, i have one but i don't have patience

I don't actually take lessons. I use youtube and other internet-sources to learn playing guitar. An easy beginner-song like "Knockin on heavens door" I can do allready

[longweight]

You don't need lessons, keep doing what you are doing and you will get there!

[mars-bar-man]

I'm 22 and I'm either mostly burnt out or the games market has become a little stale.

Recent games I'm playing and enjoying:

Borderlands 1 & 2, because they do something different and it's fun.

Civ 5, because it takes a bit of thinking to play well.

[Nealieboyee]

Originally Posted by mars-bar-man

... the games market has become a little stale.

That would be my guess. Nothing new interests me and I find myself going back to mods for older games to stay interested.

Is there anything left to throw into new games or have they exhausted all ideas?

[mars-bar-man]

Originally Posted by Nealieboyee

That would be my guess. Nothing new interests me and I find myself going back to mods for older games to stay interested.

Is there anything left to throw into new games or have they exhausted all ideas?

Wait to see what happens when CoD is removed and they actually try new ideas. Will spice up then.

It's not a case of they're out of story ideas, look at TV programs like Eastenders, that's been going 30+ years, they're still writing new stories.

[xTatic]

Well I'm only 18 and I tend to get bored of games now.

Just playing them is very rarely fun any more, I have to set goals / challenges in order to have a reason to play :/

[GoodBytes]

I think it's not due to age.
- You either have no time for games.
- You feel that you need to take a break and do something else.
- Games are stale.
- You are tired of playing the genre of the game you usually play, but due to a lack of experience in other genre you don't know how fun they can be.

I think a big part of what is happening is in the past recent years, games become stale, and now VERY stale. When people get really existed about a remake of a not so old game, that should tell you how stale the market is. This is why I believe console like the OUYA and Nvidia Project Shield gets high interest from people. As it opens door for creativity from game developers, and not large corporation which forces games form developer to be FPS.. Call of Duty FPS style games.

[Parge]

I only really play games with my friends these days, and from what I can tell, that NEVER gets dull.

[jrs77]

Originally Posted by Parge

I only really play games with my friends these days, and from what I can tell, that NEVER gets dull.

That's why I've mostly played MMORPGs for the last decade, as I could play with friends and still have something to do in the game, when they're not online. Especially in EvE Online this was the case, as there were no levels and raids etc.

But yeah, seems like the market has really flatlined.

[Neogumbercules]

I think MMO gaming has something to do with draining the fun out of regular games. I used to play regular games like crazy until I got way into City of Heroes and it gradually eroded my interest in regular console gaming due to the sheer amount of my free time that it consumed. Then once CoH got stale (and since died) my interest in other games hasn't come back. It doesn't help that most of my gaming was dominated by the PC and I don't often get the hot new properties like Gears, Halo, etc.

Money is definitely a factor also. I just can't afford to drop $60 on a new game, but Steam sales provide massive discounts that make it possible for me to buy and play games without having to worry about spending my meager disposable income.

I tend to find one or two games and focus on them intensely as opposed to playing everything like I used to do. Right now my main crutches are Skyrim and Borderlands 2. I tend to play BF3 for short spurts now and then also, but that's about it.

I think once the next console generation gets rolling I may get engaged again. I'm 28, btw.

[GeorgeStorm]

I'm 21, and I go through phases, since coming to uni and becoming friends with people who are really into games, I've definitely started gaming more than I used to, and have made great friends through it as a result

However for most games I'm still very temperamental, in that I'll play a game loads, almost obsessively for a while, then won't play it for ages, then will come back to it eventually (maybe) kinda thing.
Only game that breaks that trend is TF2, which I've really got into, and is the main game I play now.

In the end, I wouldn't worry, just try other things and who knows, you might come back to gaming sooner rather than later, either playing an older game or finding a new one which tickles your fancy

[Jester_612]

Fundamentally, we crave new experiences, to one extent or an other.

Originally Posted by Mr Happy

I would love to be able to edit videos of gaming to make montages but i don't have a clue where to start.

Windows movie maker + some appropriately copyright licensed music + some footage = simple montage. The issue is mostly watching it all back rather than making it (for me at least), but is nice just to chill out and go, "**** yeah that 3 seconds was awesome, the last 5 mins of pain dosn't matter anymore." Have you recorded anything yet? If not I could give you some links to my secret footage I've uploaded, see if it inspires you.

[yodasarmpit]

Now at 40, ohh dear. The last NEW game for me was Portal, everything else over the last ten years has been a rehash of what's come before.
That said, I'll still boot up the PC for a few rounds of CS (GO) every now and then, just finding he time is difficult.

[Throbbi]

Originally Posted by longweight

You don't need lessons, keep doing what you are doing and you will get there!

This! I've never had a lesson and can pull off stuff from which I can sit back and think '**** yeah, that was awesome!'. Decide exactly why you're playing, for a band or just for your own enjoyment. I play for my own enjoyment and it gives me a much higher sense of satisfaction when I do nail something down perfectly.....then you have the fun of playing around with it your own way

Gaming side I feel the same sometimes but that's purely because I go through phases of what games I'll play. There will be seomthing that'll grab your attention, it's just a case of finding out what, which is tricky at times. Maybe just try something completely different (or even just similar but deeper), you said you liked C+C and Civ back in the day, give Anno a try (either 1404 or 2070 but i think 2070 has a bit more to offer)

[MrDomRocks]

Well, I am 25 and have been a Console and now PC gamer since well Sega Master System. It has been one of my go to hobbies for many years and owning an expensive PC has also brought me hundreds of hours of enjoyment. Not that it's all I do.

But for the most part I can't play single player games for any long period of time. Hell even when I do I am usually on Mumble chatting etc

Simply because I enjoy the MP aspect, just broke 800 hours in Battlefield 3. And some of the most fun times have been with friends. Hell whether we are winning or loosing still fun.

I don't think I will ever grow out of games, ask MarkCUK he's in his forties I think, and his son Dannyman191 also game with us.

[freshsandwiches]

I'm tailing back on my gaming too. I'm 33 and I like to try different games. There are only a few that I stick with though. I've got a job that takes all my focus, games are a nice escape and that's probably why I still play them. Definitely a casual PC gamer now.

Coincidently, I've just picked my guitar up again. I'm going for group lessons though. One on one is too expensive, but I think I need to be shown. Everyone learns differently.

I'd be interested in any you tube videos fellow learners are using.

[Evolutionsic]

I started playing far cry 3 the other day and couldn't stay into it because i kept thinking "i've got better things to do"

[jrs77]

Money nor time are the problem. It's more a problem of nothing peaking my interest anymore really.

And for MMORPGs spoiling the fun of other genres, well... that could be actually. I'm not interested at all in singleplayer-games for quiet a few years now, and the only game I've played solo was Borderlands 1+2, when my buddies were not around/online, and the other would be GT5 aslong as it took me to play through, whioch was quiet some time.

I guess I'm looking too hard for a game that is as massive and freeform as EvE was/is, and nothing really ever came anywhere close to it during the last 8 years.